Sam Neill has passed away…

Not exactly Hollywood's main "dinosaur", but arguably one of the foremost in that regard. A New Zealand actor of Irish descent and a British subject. Three-time Golden Globe nominee, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

He began his career with major European auteurs — not surprising, as Neill holds a Bachelor of Arts in literature. He dealt with the "Possessed" against the backdrop of the seemingly endless Berlin Wall (Andrzej Żuławski), fell in love with a French Resistance member in "The Blood of Others" (Claude Chabrol), was a special agent-adventurer in Martin Campbell's "Reilly: Ace of Spies", awaited the end of the world with Wim Wenders, and barely survived with Nicole Kidman on a yacht in Phillip Noyce's "Dead Calm".

Then, of course, came Jane Campion's "The Piano", John Carpenter's "Memoirs of an Invisible Man", Steven Spielberg's "Jurassic Park"…

Neill bravely raced "Event Horizon", whispered to horses with Robert Redford (perhaps they will meet again on some cloud), hunted savages in the semi-insane world of Taika Waititi. And, of course, caused plenty of trouble for the "Peaky Blinders" gang.

He nearly became the next Bond after Roger Moore left the series and lost the role of Elrond in "The Lord of the Rings" to Hugo Weaving, and Doctor Octopus to Alfred Molina.

In 2022, when Neill was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer, the owner of a large winery and farm said:
"I'm not afraid of dying, but it would annoy me. I want to live another ten or twenty years. We've built all these beautiful terraces, we have olive trees and cypresses. I want to be around to see it all mature. And I have my beautiful little grandchildren — I want to see them grow up."

The trees and grandchildren will grow, and I want to believe that Neill will see it — just from a slightly different height🕊